Review by Moushmi Radhanpara -- From Liberty to Magnolia...

Moushmi Radhanpara · Post by **Moushmi Radhanpara** » 15 Aug 2019, 06:12

[Following is a volunteer review of "From Liberty to Magnolia: In Search of the American Dream" by Janice S. Ellis.]

4 out of 4 stars

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From Liberty to Magnolia: In Search of the American Dream by Janice S. Ellis is about a woman who struggles through her entire life to make something of her while being black and at the same time, a woman too which seems to be coming in her way. But she overcomes all these hurdles and many more. This is a memoir of a black woman who has seen hardships at a very early age. Growing up in a family of nine people, she already knows that life is difficult for her kind of people; it is unfair. Her resolution despite all the hardships of study, work, and a failed marriage doesn’t waver. Even she is left alone in the middle of the night with two sons and no money, she doesn’t stop and picks up her scattered pieces as if nothing happened.

This is less than half the battle of her life, and yet she proves stronger than ever in every hurdle that life throws at her from then. Janice proves to be not just a strong woman but a rebellious one too. She never gives up or succumbs to situations and knows how to deal with the biased people of America at the time.

I loved the writing style of the book, which for me was easy and lucid although her thoughts do waver from one period of time from her life to the other. It just flowed and nothing could keep me from turning the pages of this excellent book.

This woman is not just strong, she is a role model of inspiration for me. Her brilliance in writing without hesitation, honesty in bringing out satiric instances of patriarchy where women weren’t allowed to have sex outside marriage, but it was okay and a matter of pride for her brothers to roam and around and see if they could “get some”, her challenging pursuits in her career, her obstinacy to refuse to accept what is wrong, her heart-wrenching emotions which have bled through her words, all make me look up to this woman.

The book is exceptionally well-edited with only one or two errors or misprints and you might just skip them in a blink. It won’t matter when you are reading something so encouraging and inspiring. Readers who like to read non-fiction about a woman protagonist or who are interested in finding out the harsh realities in the life of a black woman will simply love it. For others, I suggest they could still pick this book; it will bring you to the reality of these women. But people who like to read fiction and fantasy might not like this one. It is not a tale; it is a black and white image of a woman dealing with her life in times when America was going through a lot of changes.

I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. To me, it was a brilliant read.

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From Liberty to Magnolia: In Search of the American Dream
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